Commercialization Center of Istanbul (BTM) immediately became a prominent center for Turkey’s startup ecosystem. Forming 300 startups yearly, BTM has been working non-stop to contribute to the strategy of ‘10 Turcorns in 2023’ by establishing at least 1 Turcorn. ŞEREF KILIÇLI Founded by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) to support new generation entrepreneurship, the Commercialization Center of Istanbul (BTM) has been preparing the startups for the future at its new, 3 thousand square meter’ premises in Fulya. Within the scope of the strategy identified for the year 2023, Turkey aims to generate 10 Turcorns (Turkish Unicorns valued over $1 billion). BTM wishes to support this goal by establishing at least 1 Turcorn by 2023. 40 DIVERSE SECTORS BTM is a fully equipped startup center that offers all components essential to realizing the entrepreneurs’ projects with innovative ideas. Starting its journey in 2017 with 30 startups and nearly 100 entrepreneurs, BTM grew tenfold in a short while and graduated over 1000 startups. The center hosted 300 startups and approximately 1000 entrepreneurs in the first period of 2020. For the upcoming period, BTM is getting prepared to welcome 400 startups and nearly 750 entrepreneurs. Startups from BTM received over TRY90 million investments so far and achieved sales of over TRY55 million. BTM has supported innovative business development ideas of 40 different sectors ranging from smart agriculture to artificial intelligence, from e-commerce to healthcare. APPLICATION PROCESS Entrepreneurs’ online application launches the initial step towards acceptance to BTM via the link www.btm.istanbul. As a result of the BTM Team’s preliminary evaluation, the entrepreneurs are then invited to interview. Entrepreneurs who passed the interview stage successfully make presentations on their projects before the assessment board composed of the assembly and committee members of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. Upon board’s grading, in line with their points and the quota identified, they are accepted to the center. 4 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS BTM has been serving the entrepreneurs through the BTM Camp, Pre-Incubation, Incubation, and Post-Incubation programs.The potential entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas who wish to take part in the ecosystem as entrepreneurs are eligible for the BTM Camp. The Pre-Incubation Program, on the other hand, accepts entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and related products or outputs (i.e., software, websites, etc.). The Incubation Program welcomes the company owners and entrepreneurs who have already founded their company and achieved sales. Finally, the Post-Incubation Program hosts entrepreneurs who have received investments and are seeking a new funding series. PEAK GAMES HAS BEEN THE FIRST TURCORN US-based social gaming company Zynga acquired Peak Games - Turkey’s mobile gaming app for $1.8 billion. In this way, Peak Games became the first Turkish company to be qualified as a ‘unicorn’ used for startup companies valued at over $1 billion. Peak Games will continue to pursue its operations under its brand and without any alterations in its team or management. Established by Sidar Şahin, who had previously made his mark on popular online platforms such as Izlesene.com and Trendyol.com, has also been a role model for other startups. ACTIVITIES OF BTM Commercialization Center of Istanbul is the first startup center established by a chamber of commerce in the world. The following activities are being conducted at the center: Services such as training, online courses, and seminars, mentorship, investor meetups, Demo Day events where entrepreneurs make presentations to investors, 24/7 office space, one-to-one consulting are provided to the entrepreneurs, free of charge. As an affiliate of the ICOC, with 81 professional committees and over 440 thousand members is the world’s third-largest chamber of commerce, BTM has a network of investors. The entrepreneurs within the body of BTM are entitled to make presentations of their projects to the relevant committees of ICOC’s 81 professional committees. The 55 startups and over 500 sector mentors under the auspices of BTM support the entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs who completed the camp programs of BTM, take the stage on the BTM Stage-XL (Demo Day) and introduce their business models and financial plans to the investors. Following the BTM Stage-XL, the match-up of entrepreneurs and investors start. In addition to the existing programs, BTM features thematic programs such as the ‘Inventor-Entrepreneur Program’ and the ‘WinGlobal’ that enable the entrepreneurs to compete in the global arena assertively their innovative business ideas and knockout business models. Furthermore, BTM takes part as an executor as part of the programs on the entrepreneurship ecosystem in many countries with the projects it conducts jointly with local and international organizations. THE TARGET OF 1000 INVESTORS 10 THOUSAND ENTREPRENEURS BTM has been executing critical projects not only for the entrepreneurs in the ecosystem but also for the investors through its ‘Investor Club Program.’ The Investor Club Program includes training, discussions, and workshops. The startup ecosystem’s prominent figures provide training on startups, venture capital companies, and angel investors. Investor Club had ten graduates in the first period and now aims to achieve 50 graduates in the second one. Revealing their objectives of the upcoming period regarding the entrepreneurs and investors, Şekib Avdagiç, President of ICOC, stated “In these times where the business in traditional sense heads towards digitization, we aim to achieve 1000 investors and 10 thousand entrepreneursby 2022.” AWARDS CERTIFYING BTMS SUCCESS BTM’s success is official with the awards granted to the center. In 2019, BTM was deemed worthy of the Imagine Tomorrow’s Award for the Startup Accelerator of the Year and won the 1st Prize within the Entrepreneurship Category of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey’s (TOBB) Project Competition. BTM became a finalist as part of the ICC International Chamber of Commerce’s Competition on The Best SME and Entrepreneurship Development Project Category and won Innovation Accelerator Organization of the Year Award in Medipol HR Awards. These awards are regarded as a signal of BTM’s new achievements. Along with these awards, by the UBI Global that builds the index of global entrepreneurship centers in over 70 countries, among over 700 entrepreneurship centers, BTM received the prize of ‘World’s Most Promising Entrepreneurship Center’ in the World Incubation Summit held in Doha.

10 Eylül 2020 Perşembe

HAMİT KARDAŞ In addition to its academic know-how and experiences, Istanbul Commerce University grew with the institutional support of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. The University promises a future with high standards not only with an internationally acknowledged diploma but also with the campus life in the city and the network opportunities of business life. Starting its journey 19 years ago with only 73 students, today, the University has over 8 thousand graduate and postgraduate students. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION On its way of becoming an international university, the Erasmus Program is implemented by Istanbul Commerce University in cooperation with individual universities from the USA, United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Italy, and Greece. Within this program’s scope, the students of the University receive education for a semester a year abroad. Similarly, international students from foreign countries can be hosted by the University. As part of the Farabi Program, student exchange programs with Galatasaray University, Yıldız Technical University, Anadolu University, Izmir University of Economics, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Piri Reis University and KTO Karatay University can be executed. ACTIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC Istanbul Commerce University built a resilient infrastructure during the Covid-19 pandemic that influenced the whole world and, as a pioneer in this area, lectured synchronous online courses. Completing the infrastructure and preparations that may take months, within merely a week, the University founded and operated the online synchronous education system. The University has been availing all the theoretical courses and theoretical courses of the applied courses in all its graduate and postgraduate programs through the synchronous online education system as part of the online education it launched as of March 30. The world’s leading browser-based virtual classroom solution built for education Blackboard Collaborate and Open Learning Management Systems are being utilized in online education. By including new academicians each day to its distinguished academic staff, Istanbul Commerce University is gaining new grounds. Though located at the city center, University’s campuses in Sütlüce and Küçükyalı are spacious venues with vast opportunities. Campuses are designed in a way to meet all requirements of the students. RESILIENT ONLINE INFRASTRUCTURE Aware of the possibility of not being able to perform programs on the campus, Istanbul Commerce University strengthened its online education infrastructure. All types of measures have been adopted in line with the scenario where training on campuses is availed. OVER 150 CONFERENCES Istanbul Commerce University did not suspend the open public activities it organized, such as conferences, symposiums, and interviews. On the contrary, by holding them online, it enabled more people’s access to such events. As of April 2020, the University had realized over 150 conferences, discussions, and interviews over its Youtube channel when the pandemic reached its peak, and the schools and universities were closed temporarily. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECTS Aware of the prominence of the projects contributing to society and a high-quality university education, Istanbul Commerce University has been launching social responsibility projects. The University has been conducting many projects in 13 implementation centers along with the Technology Transfer Office. All projects submitted to the University are evaluated. These are either directly funded or through consultancy brought to the level to receive support from the institutions. A NEW VISION FOR TURKISH COURSES Established by the Istanbul Commerce University, the Turkish Teaching, Research, and Implementation Center (Commerce TOMER) has been approved by the Council of Higher Education (CoHE). This center will be contributing to teaching Turkish to students living in Turkey and abroad and supporting activities for improving Turkish teaching while sharing its know-how in this area through various local and international operations. The center will be launched in the academic year of 2020-2021. VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS Commerce TOMER aims to teach Turkish in the most precise and effective way both as a native and a foreign language and contribute to the representation of Turkey, Turkish culture, and arts at a prestigious level. Within the body of this center, applied courses towards increasing professional experiences will be organized, internships will be offered and certifications will be issued to the final year students and graduates of the Turkish Language and Literature, Turkish Language and Literature Teacher Training, Contemporary Turkish Dialects and Literature, Turkish Folklore, Linguistics and Foreign Languages departments of the universities in Turkey and to the students and graduates of the Turcology Departments universities abroad. DISTANCE LEARNING Training the academic staff and teachers who shall teach Turkish to foreigners, organizing courses for them, and awarding them with certificates are among the activities of Commerce TOMER. Besides, the center can provide consultancy to public institutions or private enterprises or offer expert appraisal. Exams in the country or abroad can be organized for measuring proficiency, and along with these activities, distance learning and distance examination can be implemented for extending Turkish teaching. 6 FACULTIES AND 4 INSTITUTES One of the first foundation universities in Istanbul, Istanbul Commerce University, features six faculties, four institutes, Pearson Assured English Preparatory Program, and research and implementation centers. FACULTIES Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of Business Faculty of Law Faculty of Communication Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Architecture and Design INSTITUTES Foreign Trade Institute Institute of Social Sciences Institute of Sciences Institute of Finance

09 Eylül 2020 Çarşamba

During the half of the year, $573 million worth masks and protective wear has been exported. Nearly two thousand ICU respiratory support devices manufactured through indigenous resources have been sent abroad. Under the coordination of TÜBİTAK COVID-19 TURKEY PLATFORM, 18 development projects (10 on drug development and eight on vaccine development) are being executed. CANAN BİLGİN Despite Covid-19 bringing the global economy to a halt, thanks to its resilient healthcare system, Turkey successfully managed the pandemic’s crisis while fulfilling the medical equipment demands of nearly 150 countries and the local requirements. Throughout the pandemic, where we witnessed the failure of many developed countries from Europe to the USA, even accuring each other of stealing the healthcare supplies, Turkey set an example to the whole world with its healthcare services and its competence in industry and technology. RECORD DEMAND FOR MASKS The governmental institutions, private sector, and vocational high schools mobilized all their capabilities during the pandemic, and nearly 30 thousand masks have been manufactured daily. While the whole world experienced severe problems in the procurement of masks and protective clothing, Turkey alone came to the rescue of many countries in Europe. In the first six months of the year, $537.4 million worth of exports (the total of $144.7 million worth medical and fabric masks, $428.7 million worth of protective wear) have been achieved. In a sense, Turkey acted as a protective shield against the pandemic in the whole globe. 2 THOUSAND RESPIRATORS Throughout the pandemic, one of Turkey’s prominent successes has been the production of the respirators that play an essential role in the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Demanded by the whole world, the ventilators have been developed fully through indigenous and national facilities and manufactured in 14 days by ASELSAN and three other Turkish companies. During those days, nearly two thousand respirators have been exported. INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MANUFACTURERS Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) revealed a pleasing development during the pandemic where the universities and private industry mobilized their facilities for manufacturing the indigenous breathing device. MKEK produced the mechanical breathing device ‘Sahra’. The design and production of Sahra is fully indigenous and national. Costing less than its equivalents, Sahra will be a ‘breath of fresh air’ in the healthcare and critical care units, military bases or health units at military posts, field hospitals, hospitals, and intensive care units as well as the patients in the ambulances and homes. The device is currently in the prototype stage. The goal is to achieve the production of 500 machines per week. ASIA STANDS OUT IN DEMAND FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS During the first quarter of 2020, where the Covid-19 pandemic reached its peak, Turkey’s export of pharmaceutical products increased by 30.7%. According to the data collected from the Turkish Statistical Institute and the Ministry of Trade, Turkey’s export of pharmaceutical products reached $386 million 451 thousand and 895. The highest demand has been received from Asian countries, and 35% of the total exports have been carried out to South Korea. $136 million 93 thousand and 57 worth pharmaceutical products have been exported to South Korea. With $16 million 299 thousand 658 Iraq and $14 million 404 thousand 194, Uzbekistan followed South Korea. Poland ranked first in the exports to Europe in January - March. $9 million 736 thousand and 975 worth pharmaceutical products have been sold to Poland. This country has been followed by Slovenia with $9 million 321 thousand and 76, and Switzerland with $8 million 363 thousand 593. $793 thousand 916 worth pharmaceutical products have been exported to the USA. 18 PROJECTS ON VACCINE AND DRUGS In addition to the success in supplying medical equipment, Turkey has been executing the drug development projects to terminate or reduce the effects of Covid-19. The activities on developing drugs and vaccines against the Covid-19 are being conducted under the coordination of TÜBİTAK COVID-19 Turkey Platform. Eight vaccine and ten drug development projects are carried out within the scope of the Platform. Minister of Industry and Technology stated that they attached great importance to the energy of young researchers and added, “We have founded Star Fellowships for the vaccine and drug development projects. Projects of 340 students and researchers applying for the fellowship have been evaluated, and 300 projects have been awarded.” $31 MILLION WORTH ORDER RECEIVED ASELSAN continuously worked for launching indigenous and national technologies on medical devices for imaging and diagnosis and received $31 million worth order on the ICU ventilation devices. A contract on the production of ICU respiratory devices has been signed between ASELSAN and International Health Services Inc. (USHAŞ) on the production of ICU ventilators. In line with the contract, ASELSAN received an order on $31 million and 315 thousand worth mechanical ventilation devices for the ICUs. According to the agreement, the deliveries will be completed in 2020. To contribute to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Turkey sent medical aid to many countries from Europe to Africa, from Asia to the USA. Thousands of protective equipment and medical assistance, including protective masks, clothing, and antibacterial liquids manufactured through indigenous and national facilities at the military factories, sewing workshops within the body of the Ministry of National Defence and Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation have been transported by military cargo planes.

09 Eylül 2020 Çarşamba

SÜMEYRA YARIŞ TOPAL Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, just like any other major global city, the inhabitants of Istanbul had to suspend their social activities and stay at home. These days of quarantine were not the city’s first challenge. One hundred twenty-seven years ago, a total of 731 thousand people lost their lives during the cholera epidemic that caused great difficulties to Istanbulites with an interval of two years. Failed to stop the outbreak, the schools were closed for three months, and entries and exits were banned and delayed for curbing the spread of the disease. Istanbul’s days of cholera are as follows… BRITISH VESSEL The first cholera case was identified on August 24, 1893, in Hasköy, Istanbul. The first epidemic lasted for eight months and the second one for 3.5.Habibe Sünbül, wife of Ahmet Efendi who was a civil servant at Feshane-i Amire (textile factory). All countries at the borders of the Ottoman Empire and other cities already experienced the cholera when the British vessel named George Fisher heading to Istanbul from Batumi brought the disease to the city. One of the ship’s crews came down with the illness and passed away at the British Hospital. Thus the disease spread to the whole city. 11 CHOLERA HOSPITALS The number of cases increased one after another. Strict measures were launched immediately upon the decease of the first victim of the disease. Istanbul had already been prepared for the cholera epidemic that had been pushing its borders for months. Initially, eleven new hospitals were established in the city for the treatment of cholera. The houses with cholera patients were cordoned off and quarantined. In those times, the houses were roped off, and the quarantine was so strict that a policeman was assigned to every home, and designated officials fulfilled the household needs. Sadri Sema, who lived in those years, described the cholera disease in his memoirs as “Life became nothing but phenic acid, lime wash, funerals, and hunger.” RESTRICTION ON FOOD The most striking restriction had been on the food during the epidemic. Through a notification issued after the outbreak of the epidemic, avoiding all types of alcoholic beverages and iced water, showing ultimate attention to hygiene, sufficient consumption of meat and fiber-rich starch food, and having well-cooked food were advised. Istanbulites were also warned about the cleanliness of the drinking water. They were advised to consume natural spring water instead of dam water. Boiling the water and keeping it in sanitized containers was also recommended. By September, the sale of figs, corn, peaches, cucumbers, medlars, eggplants, tomatoes, melons, and watermelons was banned.As part of this restriction, the aforementioned produces entry to Istanbul would be prohibited, and they would be returned even if they reached the customs. NO ENTRY TO ISTANBUL Quarantine was implemented at the entries and exits of the city to curb the epidemic in Istanbul. The passengers arriving in Istanbul by the Europe train would be kept in quarantine for five days upon their arrival at the city’s entry. The people leaving the city would also be put to quarantine. Moreover, the north-south direction of the town was roped off from Şile to Tuzla to prevent the passages from Istanbul to Anatolia by bypassing the quarantine. SCHOOLS LOCKED DOWN As the number of cholera cases rapidly increased in September, all schools were locked down, and education was suspended. The schools reopened in November yet had to be closed again upon the spread of the disease. COST OF CHOLERA: 1 MILLION COINS Throughout the fight against cholera in Istanbul, a total of 1 million 174 thousand and 833 coins were spent. During the summer of 1893, the disembarkation of the passengers from the ships was banned. To prevent the cholera patients from spreading the disease by disguising their condition and contaminating the community, a regulation stipulating the pharmacies to notify the municipalities of the citizens purchasing cholera drugs was issued. The butchers’ hanging the meat outside their shops was banned. Barbershops were banned from dropping the hair cut off to their floors. The neighborhoods were coated with lime at nights. The shopkeepers were banned from sitting outside their shops, pouring the water of the shishas was forbidden. Flush toilets started to be built in the mosques. The hunting and selling of seafood such as mussels, scallops, sea snails, oysters, crab, and lobsters were banned upon the thought that these food consumed by Christians during their fasts triggered the disease. The workers staying at bedsits were sent to their hometowns in groups after quarantine. NOT JUST CHOLERA Istanbul witnessed hard times during the plague, typhus, and malaria as well. The plague outbreaks of 1803-1813, 1901, and 1919, the typhus epidemic of 1915 and malaria explosion of 1924, cast nightmares over the city. CLEANING AT 110 DEGREES One of the most effective measures implemented against the cholera disease was the steam rooms known as ‘tebhirhane’. Three facilities founded in Istanbul disinfected the furniture and small wares of the houses with cholera patients at a heat of 110 degrees.

09 Eylül 2020 Çarşamba

ADEM ORHUN The industrial firms in Istanbul and Northern Marmara joined forces under the SAHA Istanbul Defence and Aerospace Cluster Association. A majority of these companies that reflect their know-how and experiences in defense and aerospace industries to their products are the suppliers of either local or global significant companies. Companies included in the cluster stand out with the solutions they developed for the health sector during the new type coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Supporting the manufacturing of ventilators through indigenous resources, with its members, SAHA Istanbul developed many innovative products that shall enable the protection against the virus during the transition to the new normal. Following are some of these products that are being utilized in the public institutions and our daily lives: DISINFECTION UNIT ‘DAI disinfection unit’ is a product with advanced technology designed for enabling protection against the viruses, particularly in indoor spaces and entrances/exits. This product can be employed in numerous areas such as airports, shopping malls, hospitals, banks, public buildings, buses, trains, ferries and tram stops, entrances of large factories, municipalities, and supermarkets. (DAI) HYGIENE AT THE ESCALATORS The escalators are a part of our daily lives. It is a safe system to eliminate the viruses from the escalator handrails at shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, airports, supermarkets, retail stores, residences, and offices. (Gersan Electric Co.) SAMPLE COLLECTION STATION FOR HOSPITALS SAHA Istanbul has been collaborating with 16 universities. To this end, a project on the Negative Pressure Ultraviolet Sample Collection Station has been designed. A medical faculty hospital launched the utilization of the prototype. (Maltepe University) SAFE SPACES WITH QR CODE Through the ‘safe space’ application, the identification of the people in contact with the patients diagnosed with Covid-19 is enabled. The users can generate QR codes via the application for any place they wish (supermarket, shared taxis, restaurants, residences, etc.), print, and hang them at the entrances. By scanning these QR codes, people generate the data on their existence in the related areas. (OBSS) HVAC SAFETY THROUGH ULTRAVIOLET RAYS A virus disinfection system has been developed against Covid-19 for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Installed over the ‘recirculated air’ compartment of HVAC units, this device damages the molecular structure of the DNA and RNA in the virus cells through ultraviolet rays and disinfects the internal air. (Yazkar Air-conditioning&Cooling Systems) AEROSOL SOLUTION FOR DENTISTS ‘GermBuster aerosol’ filtration device provides a safe working environment for dental surgeons. The dentists’ washing and cooling water during their treatment process creates aerosols (spray mists) in treatment rooms. GermBuster enables the suction of these aerosols at the source (patient’s mouth) and reduces the risk of infection. (Seesens Electronics) THREE-DIMENSIONAL FLEXIBLE MASK The FFP3 valved masks provide practical and comfortable respiration to its users. This mask with CE marking fits on a range of face shapes thanks to its three-dimensional flexible frame and is compatible with the European Union’s Personal Protective Equipment Directive 89/686/EEC. (MKEK) COVERALLS RESISTANT TO LIQUID SPLASHES The ‘protective coverall’ manufactured with the nonwoven fabrics are water-resistant and capable of filtering particles. Resistant against low-pressure splashes. The coverall has an attached hood with elastic wrists and ankle for optimal protection. (MKEK) THERMAL SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE BODY TEMPERATURE SAHA Istanbul developed the portable and instant temperature detection system adaptable to turn gates. This system enables a rapid control in the hospital entrances. Also applicable to the factories, with its 8x23 inch screen model, the system could be easily mounted. (ERPA Communications and Electronics)

09 Eylül 2020 Çarşamba